Best Streaming Devices for Expats and Travellers in 2026

You're abroad. You open Netflix, and half your watchlist has vanished. Or you're an expat who just wants to watch the football back home, but the broadcaster's app tells you it's "not available in your region." Or you're spending three months in another country and you'd really rather not pay for a whole new streaming service you'll never use again.

This is the problem we solve at RegionFree. And in 2026, the hardware side of the equation has never been better — there are genuinely excellent portable streaming devices that make region-hopping easy. The right device matters more than most people realise, because not every stick or box handles VPNs the same way.

Here's what we'd buy, and why.

What to Look For Before You Buy

There are a few things that actually matter for travellers and expats. A lot of spec sheets will try to distract you with 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos certifications — those are nice, but they're not the reason to pick one device over another when you're trying to watch something from a different country.

1. Can You Install a VPN Directly On It?

This is the big one. Some devices let you install a VPN app directly — Fire TV Sticks and Android TV boxes are the best for this. Others, like Apple TV (older models) and Chromecast with Google TV, require workarounds like router-level VPNs or Smart DNS. These workarounds work fine, but they add steps. If you want something dead simple, get a device that runs a VPN app natively.

2. How Easy Is It to Travel With?

A full Android TV box is powerful, but it's also a box with cables and a power brick. A streaming stick fits in your jacket pocket. If you're moving between hotels, hostels, or furnished apartments, portability genuinely matters. The best travel devices are the ones that plug straight into a hotel TV's HDMI port and pull power from a USB socket.

3. What Streaming Apps Are Available?

Most major streaming services — Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Max — are on every platform now. But niche apps aren't. If you're a sports fan who relies on a specific broadcaster's app, check it's available before you buy. The Amazon Fire TV ecosystem and Google TV both have huge app libraries. Roku is strong in the US but patchier elsewhere. Apple TV has everything but costs more.

4. Does It Work on Hotel Wi-Fi?

Hotel networks can be awkward. Some require you to log in through a browser before you get internet access — and streaming sticks don't always handle that gracefully. Look for devices that support a mobile hotspot fallback, or be prepared to share your phone's connection. It's mildly annoying, but knowing about it in advance saves a frustrating half-hour.

Our Top Pick: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen)

We'd recommend the Fire TV Stick 4K as the best all-round device for expats and travellers, and the reason is specific: NordVPN has a dedicated Fire TV app that installs in two clicks from the Amazon Appstore. You don't need a router. You don't need to fiddle with settings. You plug in the stick, download NordVPN, connect to a server in your home country, and your streaming services think you never left.

It's around $49.99 (about £40 / €46) at retail, though it goes on sale regularly — Amazon drops it to $24.99 fairly often. At full price it's still good value. On sale, it's a no-brainer.

The 4K streaming is smooth, the remote is well-designed, and the interface — while slightly cluttered with Amazon's own recommendations — is easy enough once you ignore the promoted content. It handles hotel HDMI ports reliably, runs on USB power (which most hotel TVs provide), and is genuinely pocket-sized.

Pair it with NordVPN at $3.99/month on a two-year plan (about £3.15 / €3.65) and you've got a portable, region-free streaming setup for less than a single month of most streaming services.

What We Don't Love About It

Amazon's interface pushes its own content hard. And if you're not in the Amazon ecosystem — no Prime subscription, no Alexa in your life — some of the features feel irrelevant. Also, the basic Fire Stick (non-4K) has slower Wi-Fi performance, so go for the 4K version if you can.

The Best Alternatives

Budget Option: Chromecast with Google TV (HD) — Around $29.99 (about £24 / €28)

Google's budget stick is surprisingly capable. Google TV has a clean interface, brilliant app support, and it runs Android underneath — which means you can sideload apps if something isn't officially available in your region's Play Store. That's genuinely useful for expats.

The catch for travellers: there's no native NordVPN app in the same plug-and-play sense as Fire TV. You'll need to either set up VPN at router level or use NordVPN's Smart DNS feature, which works well but requires slightly more setup. Not hard — but not as simple as the Firestick approach.

For travel, it's excellent if you're staying somewhere with a configurable router. For pure plug-into-hotel-TV simplicity, the Fire Stick edges it.

Mid-Range: NVIDIA Shield TV (Tube Version) — Around $149.99 (about £120 / €138)

If you have a fixed base — a long-term rental, a furnished flat you're in for six months — the NVIDIA Shield TV is the most powerful streaming device money can buy. It runs full Android TV, so NordVPN installs natively and runs perfectly. It handles 4K with better upscaling than anything else in this list. And it doubles as a Plex media server if you have a hard drive of your own content.

It's not portable in any meaningful sense. But for an expat who's set up in one place and wants the best possible streaming experience — plus bulletproof VPN support — this is what we'd get.

Premium Option: Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen) — Around $129 (about £102 / €119)

Apple TV is the best-built, best-integrated streaming device available. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem — iPhone, MacBook, iCloud — the experience is genuinely excellent. The remote is lovely. The performance is fast. And in 2024, Apple added VPN app support, so NordVPN now has an Apple TV app that works natively. That was the missing piece for years.

It's expensive for what it does if you're not an Apple person. And it's not as travel-friendly as a stick — it needs its own power adapter, it's heavier, and it feels a bit precious to shove in a backpack. But for a long-term expat who wants a premium setup? It's hard to fault.

The Wildcard: Roku Streaming Stick 4K — Around $49.99 (about £40 / €46)

Roku is brilliant in the US. The interface is fast, there's no algorithm pushing you toward paid content, and the app library is massive for American audiences. But outside the US, Roku gets patchy. Some apps aren't available depending on your region, and the VPN situation is more complicated — Roku doesn't support VPN apps natively, so you'd need router-level setup or Smart DNS.

If you're a US citizen living or travelling abroad and you want to keep your American streaming services, Roku plus NordVPN's Smart DNS feature works well. But for everyone else, the Fire Stick or Chromecast makes more sense.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Verdict: Who Should Buy What

You're a frequent traveller who hops between hotels and Airbnbs: Get the Fire TV Stick 4K. It's the most portable, the most forgiving on different networks, and setting up NordVPN on it takes about five minutes. Everything else is a compromise by comparison.

You're an expat settled in one place for six months or more: Spend the extra money on the NVIDIA Shield TV. You'll want the performance, the flexibility, and the fact that it handles a VPN at all times without thinking about it.

You're on a tight budget and you're comfortable with a bit of extra setup: The Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is excellent value. Just know you'll need to use NordVPN's Smart DNS rather than a one-click app install.

You're an Apple person and this question was never really a question: Apple TV 4K. It's great. You already know you want it.

Whatever device you land on, the VPN side of the equation is non-negotiable if you want to watch home content abroad. And for this specific use case — streaming, multiple devices, apps on a Fire Stick or Apple TV — NordVPN is what we'd recommend. It has apps on every platform we've mentioned, it's fast enough that you won't notice it running, and it's the most reliable option we've tested for unblocking streaming services consistently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my streaming subscriptions abroad without a VPN?

Sometimes, but not reliably. Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video all operate internationally, but their content libraries change by country. So if you travel from the UK to Spain, your UK Netflix shows might disappear or be replaced with different content. A VPN connects you to a server in your home country, so the streaming service thinks you're still there — and your usual library comes back. Without one, you're at the mercy of whatever rights deals exist in whichever country you're in.

Is it legal to use a VPN for streaming?

Using a VPN is legal in most countries. Some streaming services' terms of service technically prohibit bypassing geo-restrictions — but this is a civil matter between you and the service, not a criminal one. The practical reality is that services like Netflix focus on blocking VPN servers rather than penalising individual users. We've never heard of anyone getting their account cancelled for using a VPN. That said, we're not lawyers, and the rules vary by country.

Will a VPN slow down my streaming?

A small amount of speed reduction is normal with any VPN — your traffic is being routed through an extra server. But with a fast VPN like NordVPN on a decent hotel or home Wi-Fi connection, you typically won't notice. 4K streaming generally needs around 25Mbps. NordVPN regularly delivers speeds well above that. If you're on a slow connection to begin with, the VPN isn't your problem — the Wi-Fi is.

Do I need a separate VPN subscription for each device?

Our top pick

Unlock region-locked content with a reliable VPN — tested and verified by our team.

Visit Nordvpn